Humility is a prerequisite for true strength. Likewise, strength is essential for humility. There’s nothing contradictory about a strong servant or a humble leader. In fact, they are, perhaps by design, inseparable.

the paradox of humility and strength in tandem

The qualities of humility and strength are rarely found together. Our endeavors are often characterized by one or the other at best. You can scour history, examine governments and civics, leaders and institutions, you can look deep inside yourself, look around you at others and find that the harmony of strength and humility is nearly a paradox.

the greatest works of art and music

William Shakespeare’s plays are quintessential examples of the marriage of strength and humility. The characters and themes the world has grown unequivocally fond of are those that most resemble God’s original plan for humanity and the example Jesus’ life expressed. I’m willing to bet the music and art that you adore simultaneously expresses both. Our hearts were crafted with the garden of Eden in mind. The same way the sympathetic vibrations of a violin cause all other violins to begin vibrating and sounding, so also do our souls resonate when they hear something of Jesus.

the most beloved people

What do the most beloved people throughout history have in common? Mother Teresa, Gandhi, Rosa Parks, Joan of Arc, George Washington, Galileo, Ronald Reagan, Michelangelo, Mozart, Da Vinci, and others were characterized by both strength and humility. They all, whether aware of it or not, were a sort of throwback to Eden.

the most beautiful feet

The most beautiful feet, though torn and callused, are still sensitive. They don’t impose, but are ready to serve. God came to us with power greater than the universe itself, and washed our dirty and diseased feet. He shouted as he turned over ill-begotten tables in the temple. And later, came beside a woman sentenced to death and replaced the pieces of her broken life.